Telegraph transmitter



A: LAHL TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Oct. 11, 1938 Filed Dec. 29, 1956 5 sheets-sheet 1 Oct. 11, 1938 A. LAHL I 4 TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed Dec. 29, 1936 5 She ets-Sheet 2 r INVENT'OR ATTORNE Yf A. LAHL TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Oct. 11, 193s.-

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 29, 1956 INVENTOR 9 9 Allflulal ATERNEY Oct. 11, 1938. A. LAHL TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed Dec. 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN [/5 N TOR Aqko: 4J1

ATTOPNE XS.

Oct. 11; 1938. A, LAHL 2,133,056

TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER I Filed Dec. 29, 1936' 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q 6 Fag. 4. 7

l I l 360 V /NVEN7%P Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT orries g V 2,133,056 TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Alfred Lahl, Frankfort-on-the-Main; Germany,

assignor to .Telefonbau und Normalzeit Akti engesellschaft, Frankfort-on-the- Main, Germany; a corporation of Germany I Application December 29, 1936, Serial No. 118,100

. In Germany December-'31, 1935 V 12' Claims. (01.17 49) V This invention relates to keyboard telegraph instruments having-permutation members which areiselectively displaced by depression of the keys and having. a motor driven cam assembly, the cams of which are set in accordancewith the If, in anin strument of the above kind, a second key is depressed before the transmission'of the signal determined. by the depression of the first key has. been completed, another set or combination of permutation members is displaced and, unless the second key is held depressed until the transmission of the first signal is completed and the cams have been re-set, an incorrect signal i transmitted.

The object of the invention is to overcome the necessity for keeping the second key depressed in. instruments of the above kind having spring loaded per-mutation members. l i

This object is achieved in accordance with the 39 inventionby providing an auxiliary mechanism which is set in the operative position by the depressionof a keyand which holds the interme.- diate members in the position in which they areset by a key independently of the-position of that key until the setting of .the contactactuating- "a cams in accordance with the setting of theintelimediate members has been completed, I

The invention thus makes it possible for-two keyiy, to be struck in quick succession and to be rel/eased again during the time in which the current impulse sequence selected by the firstkey is still being sent out, withoutendangering the correct-transmission of either of the impulse se-:

quences. By means of the auxiliary mechanism,

the impulse sequence selected by the second key.

' is stored 'up in the intennediatemembers while the signal sequence selected by the first key and stored up in the contact actu'atingmembers isi being sent out. When, at the end of'the revolumaintenance or non-maintenance of the key in the depressed position. A further key can then be struck during the transmission of the second current impulse sequence.

In order thatjthe invention may be properly 5.1

understood andbe more readily carried into efiect, an eXampleo-f construction in accordance therewith will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures '1 and 1A show diagrammatically and in perspective a part of the telegraph transmitter the normal and in the operated position respectively. g Y

Figures 2 and 2A show diagrammatically and in perspective in the normal and in the operated I positions the distributor of the transmitter and the means which form the auxiliary device provided in accordance with the invention.

Figure:3 shows a detail of Figures 1 and 1A to a larger scale; a

Figure 4 is an end view to a largerscale of the distributor of Figure 2 showing the various cams, and s Figure 5 is a development of these cams shown in Figure 4. a

Only one key, the key A of the telegraph transmitter, is shown. This key is pivotally mounted on a pin l and, in the normal position (Fig. 1) is pressed against a bar 2 by a spring 3 held in the clamp '4. The rear part of the key lever extends beneath the teeth of the permutation members ae and beneatharail 5. The permutation members a- -e are mounted for movement on the rodsli and 1; Each of them is provided with a. spring}. "In the normal'position )(Fig. 1), the permutation members a+-e lie with their upward lyprojecting lugs 9 abutting against a common stop rail 10. This stop rail I0 is pivotally mounted onthe rod II and, in the normal position, is locked against movement by the catch l2 which 40 is pivotally mounted on the pin l3 and, in the position under consideration, is supported by the lug l4 on the rail 5 which engages beneath its arm l5. Thelug l4 (Figure3) is pivotally attached 'to the rail 5 which is itself pivotally mounted at l5. On depression of the key A, the

rail 5 is swungupwards about its pivot I6 against the action of its spring [1 so that the arm l5 of the catch'lZ is lifted by the lug I 4., The lug l4 eventually comes clear of the arm l5 so that the catch l2 can, if desired, return to its normal position under the action of the spring! 8 even if a key is still depressed. The catch I2 releases the stop rail l0 so that it can turn on its pivot pin I! under the action of the spring l9 and the (Figure 2).

permutation members a-e can move under the action of their springs 8 in so far as they are not restrained from so doing by their teeth coming against the arm 29 of the key lever (Fig. 1A). On release of the depressed key, the rail 5 resumes the position shown inFigure 1 without moving the catch l2, the lug |4 being pressed back against the action of its spring 2| (see Figure 3).

Asignal corresponding to the depressed key is' emitted through the agency of a rotary distributor of the type of that shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,983,960 of Max Amann. This distributor comprises a rotatable shaft 22 carrying at one end a set of movable cams 23a23e which act on the transmitting contact 24 through the lever 25 The cams 23a 23e are slidably mounted in a block 26 on the shaft 22 and'can be moved outwards therethrough parallel to the shaft 22 by the compression springs 2'|a2'|e acting through the axially displaceable rods 28a28e. The rods28- are, however, in the normalposition, kept back by locking discs 29a29e through bayonet slotconnections 30. The discs 29 are mounted for rotation on the shaft 22 and can'be turned through a small angle against the action of the springs 3| (only one is sho'wnin Figthe discs 29, the latter then being compelled to ure 2), in order to release one or another of the rods 28. For producing this rotation of the discs 29 relatively to the shaft 22, a series of unlatching levers 32a32e, one for each permutation member, is provided, the noses 33 of which normally lie in the path of movement of the noses 34 on the discs 29 when the shaft 22 is rotated. The levers 32 remain in the normal position illustrated in Figure 2 as long as the'permutation members remain in the normal position. When, however, a permutation member moves forward, the member c, for example, as shown in Figure 2A, the -associated lever I2, is swung back by the abutment against the tail of the permutation member with its nose 33 clear of the associated disc 34. Consequently, during the early part of the rotation of the shaft 22, the levers 32 which remain in the normal position strike the noses 34 on the discs 29 associated with'them so that the latter are thus turned relatively to the shaft and the rods 28 associated with them are released and, under the influence of their springs 21, displace the associated contact operating cams 23 out of the block 24. The levers 32 are resiliently connected to the associated permutation members ae by springs 35 and upon further rotation of the shaft 22, the levers 32 are pushed back by] share in the rotation of the shaft. During the rotation of the shaft 22, the cams 23 which have been pushed out of the head 26 by their springs actuate the contact 24 through the lever 25.' The shaft 22 is driven at appropriate times by a 'constantly' rotating hollow shaft 36 through a clutch formed by the ratchet wheel 31 which is the shaft'39, be at the back ofthe cam disc.

fixed to the 'shaft 36 and the pawl 38 which is pivotally mounted onla cam disc 39' fixed tol'the shaft .22. For the sake of clearness, the ratchet Wheel 31 and the pawl 38 have been shown at the front of the cam disc 39. They should, of course, in order that the ratchet wheel may be fixed to In the normal position, the clutch pawl 38 is held out of engagement with-the ratchet 3! by a pawl.

:49 against the'actio n of its spring 4|, the pawl 39 being held in position against the action of its spring 42 'by an arm 43 of the stop rail l0. ,7

strict their pivotal movement.

When the stop rail is pivoted, the arm 43 is moved so that the pawl 49 is pulled back by the spring 42 and the pawl 38 can engage with the ratchet wheel 37 and cause the shaft 22 to rotate with the shaft/36 (Fig. 1A). The tail 44 of the pawl 39 is thus brought into a position in which it can be acted upon by the cam 45 on the cam disc 39 and is brought back into the position shown in Fig. 1 in which it will provide an abutment for the clutch pawl 39 when the latter comes round again.

The stop rail 9 is connected by 'a connecting rod cam 49 on the head 25 and the connecting rod 46 returns the stop rail H! 'and'thepermutation members abutting against it from the position of Fig. 1A into the normal position shown in Fig. 1.

When the rail I9 is swung by its spring |9 its arm 43 also acts upon a two armed lever 59 (Figure 2) which serves for the simultaneous operation of five hooks 5|a,--5|e associated .with the levers. 32a32e. These hooks 5| have elongated holes 52 in them by means of which they are arranged in a row on a rod 53. They are pressed towards the associated levers 32 by the teeth of a comb-like leaf spring 54 in the normal position. They do not however, touch the levers 32 or re- The hooks, 5| are guided in holes in a rail 55 which is pivotally mounted on the rod 53. When the arm 43 is lifted, the lever 59 is swung clockwise so that its right hand arm (Figs. 2 and'2A) lowers the rail 55.and the hooks 5| against the action of the spring 56. The hooks 5| are thus brought either behind the associated levers 32 or into the grooves 51 of these levers, according as the levers in question are in their normal position or in their actuated position.

The arrangement described above operates as follows: On depression of the key' A, the arm 29 of the key lever is lifted against the action of its spring and enters. a space between two successive teeth of the permutation members a-e. On complete depression of the key, the arm 20 pivots the rail 5 and this, in turn, through the lug I 4, swings the latch 2 which, up till now, has been holding the stop rail l0 against movement. The stop rail 10 being thus released, those of the permutation members a--e which are not held back by the arm 20 are moved by their springs 8 to the right and swing the levers 32 associated with them out of the path of movement of thelocking discs 3|. 7

The stop rail I9 is swung on'its pivot pin by the permutation members and by its spring l9 so that the arm 43 is lifted and-the pawl released. Under the pull of its spring 42,- the pawl 40 swings counterclockwise and releases the clutch pawl 38 which is caused by its spring 4| to engage with the constantly rotating ratchet wheel31. The shaft 22' is thus clutched to the shaft 39 and is rotated thereby together with the rods 28, the discs 29 and the contact operating cams 23 and the control cams and 49.

For the purpose of illustration, it will be assumed that on depression of the key A, only the permutation members b, c; d are moved, the members a. and e being held back by the'arm 29; In that case,.thelevers 3211, 32 and 32d are displacedwhile the levers 32d and 32 remain in the the rail 55' is lowered together with the hooks 5|.

The hooks 5lb, 5|c and 5|d are thus brought into noses 34 on the discs 2% and 2-96 strike the.

levers 32a and 32 These two discs and only these two are therefore held back by their corresponding levers 32 and, in consequence of the rotation of the shaft 22, are displaced against the action of their springs 3|. Therods 28a and 28? are thus released and under the influence'of their springs are moved axially and push out the contact operating cams 23a and 236. On further rotation of the shaft 22, themomentarilyjstopped discs 29a and 296' are carried I'Glll'ldrfllld the levers 32a and 326 are pressed back against the actionof their springs 35.

When the shaft 22 is at rest, the lever 25 is pressed against the cam 58 which is an immovable part of the head- 26, by the spring 59. During the first part of the rotation of the shaft 22 the lever 25 slips off the cam 58 so that the transmitting contact 24 sends out the start im pulse. This occurs during thefirst /;th of the revolution made by the shaft 22. During each of the next five ths of the revolution ofthe shaft 22, the lever 25 is actuated by one or another of the cams 23. As, in the case under con sideration, only the cams 23a and 236 are pushed V .out from the head 26, the lever 25 remains, durposition shown in Figure 2, in which position it is held by the fixed camGSdurihg the last;

seventh.

During the first %th of the revolutionmade by the shaft, the cam strikes the tail 44' of the pawl 40 (Figures '1 and 4) and swings the latter against the action of. the-spring 42 into its normal position in which it lies in the path of movement of'the head of the clutch-pawl 38.

Shortly followingthis, say during the'2nd'7th of the rotation,the.-cam -49 j swings the stirrup 4-! (Figures 1 and which, through the connect? ing rod 46, restores the stop rail 10 andthe permutation members to their .normal positions.

This brings the arm 43 again in front of the pawl 48 so that the latter is held fast. As the lug 14 (Figure 3) atthe endof its movement, bears'laterally against the arm l5 of the catch l2, it is now free to move even if, at this instant,

by the arm 43. The rail is then lifted by-the spring 55and the'hooks 5|b, 5lc and 5M release "the associated levers 32 so that the latter and the displaced permutation members return to their normal positions.

The restoration of the permutation members and of the levers 32 is effected during the first halt of the revolution made by the shaft 22.

The selected current impulse series is nevertheless correctly sent out because the discs 29 and the contact actuating cams 23 haveialready been set for that series. The cams 23ers re-set after they have acted on the lever 25 by means of a re-setting member (not shown) which, when one of these cams is brought .opposite it, pushes it back through the discs 29 against the action of the springs 21. The discs 29,- under the influence of their springs :3l, then spring into their normal positions in which they lock thepams in the inoperativeposition. At the end of the revo lution of the shaft, the clutch pawl 31 strikes the head of the pawl 40 so that it is brought outiof engagement with the rotating ratchet wheel 3! and the shaft is de-clutched.

If another key is struck during the rotation of the shaft 22 and after the return of the permutation members, say at the beginning of the second 2 half of the revolution, the permutation members are again'released so that, in the manner-already described, those of the levers 32 which are associated with permutation members which are a at the beginning of'the second revolution of the shaft 22, the discs 29 and the contact actuating cams 23 have been set again in accordance with the setting of the levers. the permutation members and the levers 32 are returned by the cam 49 and the stirrup 41. When thesecond keyis struck,the pawl 40 is released so that the clutch pawl 38 is not disengaged at the end of the first revolution. The clutch'thus remains closed and the second revoe' lution follows immediately on the first;

I claim:-

,1. A telegraph transmittercomprisinga rality of operating keys, a transmitting contact,

amotor, a rotatablezbody, a' clutch device, con- 7 trolled .by saidikeys fol-coupling said body to-said motor for the duration of one revolution, movable'camsl carried by said bodyfor influencing said transmitting contact on rotation of said;

body, a plurality of spring-loaded permutation members selectively releasable for displacement,

by their springs on actuation of said keys, 7 a plurality ofintermediate members adapted ,to be set by said permutation members whereby toset' said movablecams at the beginning of each revolution of said rotatable body, means for locking said intermediate members in the set position,

means responsive to the depression of a key for bringing said locking means into operation and means adapted to be influenced by said rotatable body afterfsaid movable cams have been set by said intermediate members formaking said lock- 2. A telegraph transmitter comprising a set;

It is only then that of operating keys, a transmitting -contact, ;a motor, a rotatable body, a clutch device controlled by said keys for coupling said bodytosaid-motor for the duration of one revolution, movable cams carried by said body for influencing said transmitting contact on rotation of said body,

intermediate members connected to said permutation members for setting said movable cams at the beginning of each revolution of said rotatable body in accordance with the setting of said permutation members, means controlled by said permutation members during'their movement determined'by'said keys for locking said intermediate members in the set position, and means controlled by said rotatable body for releasing said iocking means after said cams have been. set, said releasing means being independent ofthe'depression of an operating key.

3. 'A telegraph transmitter according to claim 1 in which each of said'intermediate members comprises a notch and said. locking device comprises a plurality of locking members, one for each intermediate member and adapted to be engaged insaid notches of said intermediate members.

'4. A telegraph transmitter comprising a transmitting contact, a motor, a rotatable body, a

members selectively releasable by their springs on'actuation of said keys, a'set of intermediate members adapted to be set by said permutation members on movement of said permutation members in one direction, springs connecting said intermediate members individually to said permutation members, said cam locking and unlocking means comprising stops,- said intermediate members being adapted at the commencement of the rotation'of the rotatable body to act on said stops for setting said cam locking and unlocking means in accordance with the setting of said permutation members responsive to the depression ofsaid keys for locking said interme-' 'diate members in the set position against movement -by -said springs and. means actuated byv said rotatable body after the actuation of said cam locking and unlocking means by said inter- 4, in which said hooked members are mounted "'for'rotation and for translation; and comprising 55* sist translation thereof and guide bar adapted to turn said hooked members into and out of mediate members for returning said locking device, said returning means being independent of" the depression of a key,said intermediate members comprising notches and said locking device comprising hooked members one for'each intermediate member, said hooked members being adapted'to engage insaid notches.

5. A telegraph transmitter according to claim springs acting upon said hooked members to re engagement with said notches.

6. A telegraph transmitter according to claim actuated by said rotatable body.

4, in which said lockingmeans comprise :a guide bar, guide passages in said guide bar one. for each of said hooked members, saidhooked members being mounted for rotation and for translation, a comb-like spring common to all said influence of said returning means.

7. A telegraph transmitter comprising a transmitter contact, a motor, a rotatable body, a clutch device for coupling said body to said motor for' one revolution of said body, movable cams carried by said body for controlling said transmitter contact on rotation of said body, springs acting upon said cams, discs carried by said body for locking and unlocking said, cams, each one of said discs influencing a difierent one of said cams, said discs being mounted for rotation about the axis of said body, a plurality of springs each adapted to hold a difierent one of said discs in a position for locking the cam associated with it, a set of operating keys, a set of permutation members controlled by said keys, a set of intermediate members connected to said permutation members and adapted to set said cams in accordance with the setting of said permutation members, stops on said discs adapted to be influenced against the action of said springs by said intermediate members at the beginning of the rotary movement of said body, 1 said discs when thus influenced being turned to release the corresponding cams for movement under the action of said springs, a device for locking said intermediate members in the position in which they are set by said permutation members, said locking device embodying hooked members mounted for rotation and for translation, each of said hooked members being adapted to lock one of said intermediate members, a'controlling bar for turning said hooked members into their iocking position, springs acting upon said hooked members adapted to resist translation of said members, said springs being stronger than said springs acting upon said discs and therefore preventingv a movement of an intermediate member locked by its hooked member when a disc on being influenced by said intermediatemember is turned against the action of its spring, means responsive to the depression of a key for actuating. said controlling bar of said locking device,

a means actuated by said rotatable body after the actuation of said discs by said intermediate members for returning said controlling bar, said returning means being independent of the depression of a key.

8. A telegraph transmitter according to claim [comprising springs acting upon'said permutation members in their normal'position, means for locking said permutation members against the action of said springs, means for releasing such locking by actuation of said keys and means for returning said bars to their normal position, said last mentioned returning'means being actuated by said rotatable body on its being rotated. V r

9. A telegraph transmitter according to claim 7 comprising springs acting on said permutation members in their normal position, a, movabie pawl acting upon all said permutation members, means for locking said pawl, means for releasing said locking by actuation of said keys, said pawl being connected to said returning means 10. A telegraph transmitter according to claim 7, comprising springs acting upon said permutation members in their normal position, said per- ,mutation members being provided with projections and recesses adapted to cooperate with the said keys, a movable pawl 'for' locking said permutation 'members against the action of said springs, means for locking said pawl, a bar adapted to be influenced by said key, a lug on'said bar adapted to move said locking means out of the locking position, said last mentioned bar being actuated by said keys after their engagement with said permutation members, said pawl being connected to said returning means actuated by said rotatable body.

mitting contact, a motor, a rotatable body, a

clutch device carried by said body for coupling said body to said motor, movable cams carried by said body for controlling said transmitting contact, movable means carried by said body for setting said cams, a plurality of operating keys,

a plurality of permutation bars, spaced teeth on' said permutation bars, recesses adapted to cooperate with said keys, springs acting on said permutation bars in their normal position, a

movable pawl 'for locking said permutation bars against the action of said springs, means for looking said pawl, a further bar adapted to be influenced by said keys after their engagement with 7 said permutation bars, a lug on said further bar adapted to move said locking means out of the a of said body are influenced by said intermediate members, hooked members for locking said intermediate members in the set position, means actuated by said pawl for controlling said hooked members, means actuated by said pawl for actuating said clutch device, means actuated by said rotatable body on its rotary movement shortly after the actuation of said cam setting means by said intermediate members for turning said pawl into its lockingposition, a spring acting upon said means for locking said pawl, said means being adapted to lock said returned pawl independently of the position of the key depressed to unlock said pawl.

12. A telegraph transmitter according to claim 11, in which said lug is movably mounted on said bar and is adapted after having moved said means for locking said pawl out of locking position omdepression of a key to release said locking means for movement into its locking position when said pawl has'been returned.

' ALFRED LAHL. 

